Marine craft



J. S. STOCKMAN.

MARINE CRAFT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I4 1918 (gmc THB ILUMMA PLANDGRAPH a0., wASHlNuToN. n. c* Y 5 Y l. S. STUCKMAN.

MARINE CRAFT.

APPLICATION FILED IIIAYI4, I9I8 1,310,809. Patented July 22, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JAMES SMITH STOCKMAN, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

MARINE CRAFT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 22, 1919.

Application filed May 14, 1918. Serial N o. 234,427.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES SMITH S'rocx- MAN, a subject of the King of Great Britain, having declared my intention of becomlng a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Marine Craft, of which the followin is a specication.

y improvements relate to marine craft generally but more especially to vessels for use in war zones, and partcularly for those ngaged in or exposed to submarine warare. l

The objects are, to produce a light draft vessel, practically immune from submarine and torpedo attack, that may be maneuvered elfectually in shallow as well as deep water; that is adequately protected against shell as well as torpedo lire; and that is exceedingly well adapted for aggressive as well as defensive purposes, all as hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure l, represents diagrammatically a side elevation of a marine vessel embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2, is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3, is a view of the stern, on a larger scale;

Fig. 4, is a transverse section, on the same scale as Fig. 3, taken approximately on line 4 4, Fig. 2.

Lightness of draft being an important factor in marine craft exposed to attack by submarine or torpedo, to lessen the danger of injury to the hull, and to enable the vessel to navigate shoal water as well as deep, I make the hull H, of my vessel relatively shallow of hold as shown in Figs. 3 and 4; and the curvature of the bottom, convergent from the sides to the keel, is so obtuse that the shoulder of a torpedo charging head on in a substantially horizontal plane, as illustrated in Fig. 4, would encounter and contact with the bottom of the boat and thereby prevent the concussion of the firing cap ,-the obtusely curved surface h, of the bottom acting as a guide to shunt the torpedo beneath and beyond the vessel. The obtuseness of inclination of the sides k, L, of the bottom should be equivalent to an angle of approximately thirty degrees, although any angle less than forty degrees may answer the purpose. 1

The sides of the hull I-I, above the obtusely curved bottom L, la., are protected by an outer zone of relatively soft compressible material c, (F ig. 3) preferably of cotton or other suitable fibrous substance renderedy fire proof by chemical treatment in any of the ways well known in the arts. This shield or buffer of-shock-absorbent material c, is contained and packed in a compartment p, completely encircling the vessel, and extending both above and below the water line fw, fw, as indicated in Figs. 1, 3 and 4. It thus affords protectigungainskshell and torpedo impact within this prescribed zone p, while the obtusely curved bottom surfaces h, L, of the hull H, ward off torpedo attack below said protective zone as hereinbefore set forth.

Just within and adjacent to this outer shield-zone p, is a circumambient alley or passage way a, affording protected communication with any and all parts of the vessel. This alley a, is below the deck d, of the vessel, as shown in Fig. 3, butin Fig. 2, in order to more clearly illustrate its import and relation to the other parts of the vessel I have shown it as uncovered and open at the deck line. It is provided at suitable stations (as at the bulkheads indicated by dotted lines L, h, in Figs. 1 and 2) with doors a', a', for use in case of emergency.

g, represents the turret or barrette for the starboard gun, and g, that for the port gun. These guns are the usual kind, rotatably mounted upon their supports, and supplied with the usual accessories.

In order that both guns may have a clear range both fore and aft, I mount the bridge B, on a turn table b, supported on a stationary bridge turret e. Various mechanical expediente may be employed for effecting the turning of the bridge B, the mechanism shown in Fig. 3, of the drawing consisting of an internal rack b, on the bridge trunnion or table b, meshing with a pinion e, on the upper end of a shaft e2, mounted in bearings in said turrent @,-the lower end of said shaft e2, having attached to it a worm gear e3, actuated by a worm e4 upon a shaft driven from the engine room or elsewhere, as may be found most expedient.

In fact the specific means for turning the bridge are of secondary importance,-the main object being to provide for the turning of the bridge from its normal position transversely across the beam of the vessel as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, t0 a position at right angles thereto, or parallel with the keel of the boat, as indicated in dotted lines in said F ig. 2. Vhen thus turned in longitudinal alinement with the vessel, the bridge B, obviously presents the least possible obstruction to the freedom of action of the guns, which may then both be trained either fore or aft,-a very important advantage in submarine warfare.

It will be noted that the protective zone p, and the circumambient passage or alley a, are below the main deck cl, leaving only the bulwarks el', and superstructures exposed, so that the whole vessel may be traversed, and communication had between all the different parts, through the medium of said alley a, without exposure to danger above deck, eX- cept on the part of those manning the bridge, guns etc.

I design to position only a single work or service boat s, above the main deck, and to mount this aft on the skylight s', of the eno'ine room,-the elevated curb of said skylight s', being incased in a suitable protective shield s2. Cranes t', z', are arranged in convenient juxtaposition to said boat mount to facilitate the shipping and unshipping of the service boat S, when necessary.

I also provide a drop tube u, at the stern which protrudes beyond the rudder 1, and propellers o, o, by means of which tube time fuse depth charges of T. N. T. may be launched in the path of pursuing submarines, etc., in a manner now well known in the art of marine warfare.

My improved craft is especially adapted for navigation in submarine war zones, either for offensive or defensive purposes, and as a carrier or traveler. Its light draft enables it to traverse shallow waters that would otherwise be inaccessible, and which are practically unnavigable for submarines. Furthermore, for reasons hereinbefore stated it is practically immune from torpedo or shell attack; while its armament and swinging bridge make it an effective aggressive or defensive craft.

`What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

l. A marine craft of the character desig` nated, formed with a hull bottom the convergent sides of which are curved obtusely,

said hull being formed with a circumscribing zone of compacted fibrous material extended upward from the convergent sides of the hull and disposed above and below the water line.

2. A marine craft of the character designated, formed with a hull bottom the convergent sides of which are curved obtusely, said hull being formed with a circumscribing zone of compacted fibrous material extended upward from the convergent sides of the hull and disposed above and below the water line, and a circumambient alley adjacent the inner wall of said circumscribing zone and protected thereby.

3. A marine craft of the character designated, formed with a hull bottom the convergent sides of which are curved obtusely, said hull being formed with a circumscribing zone of compacted fibrous material eX- tended upward from the convergent sides of the hull and disposed above and below the water line, and a circumambient alley adj acent the inner wall of said circumscribing zone and protected thereby, said hull being provided with bulkheads and doors leading from said alley adjacent said bulkheads.

il. A marine craft of the character designated formed with a circumscribing zone of compacted fibrous material extending above and below the water line, with a circumambient alley adjacent to' said zone, and with a hull bottom the convergent sides of which are curved obtusely at less than an approximate angle of 425 to ward off torpedo attack and to shunt the torpedo beneath and beyond the craft, for the purpose described.

5. A marine craft of the character designated provided with a hull formed with a circumscribing zone of compacted fibrous material extending above and below the water line, a circumambient alley adjacent to said Zone at less than an approximate angle of 45 to ward off torpedo attack and to shunt the torpedo beneath and beyond the craft, and a bottom the convergent sides of which are curved obliquely, for the purpose described.

JAMES SMITH STOCKMAN.

IVitnesses GEO. WM. MIATT, DOROTHY MIATT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

